Young unemployed Australians are being offered a short “cut” to a rewarding career under a fully-funded pathway being rolled out across multiple states in coming months.
Employers who host a young person will receive $1,000 to help with the costs of the trial under the pathway, and may be eligible to receive additional financial incentives when they are hired.
The Cutting Edge Careers program has been co-designed between industry and government. It is being run by the National Retail Association and funded through the Australian Government’s PaTH Business Placement Partnerships program.
It will give 200 unemployed people aged 17 to 24 practical training and on-the-job experience in hairdressing and barbering, with a view to starting a long-term career.
NRA Chief Executive Officer Dominique Lamb said Cutting Edge Careers would give young unemployed people the skills to start on the pathway to being a hairdresser or barber.
“This is an industry with an enormous shortage of skilled labour at the moment, and historically there’s always a demand for trained hairdressers and barbers,” Ms Lamb said.
“Cutting Edge Careers provides participants with skills training, then a four-week Internship in a salon or barbershop, where they can put those skills into practice leading to an opportunity for employment or an apprenticeship.
“The ultimate aim is to give participants a head start in securing an apprenticeship which will see them fully training and qualified.
“Employers who participate may also be eligible for financial assistance from the Australian Government.
“So right now is a great time not only for young people to choose a career in hairdressing and barbering, but for employers to give them a head start.”
The first round of the National Retail Association’s Cutting Edge Careers program begins in February, and intakes continue up until April 2022. The program is available in all states and territories except Tasmania and the ACT.
Jobseekers and employers interested in benefiting from this pathway should check their eligibility and register here.
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